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Cervical Smear |
by:
DR SOON |
The major reason
why cervical smear is done is because it can pick up changes that
can progress to become cancer of cervix.. If these changes are
detected early, the condition is usually treatable. However,
cervical smear can also pick up many diseases and medical problems
of the cervix. These are inflammation, atrophy, bacterial
infection, fungal infection, sexually transmitted diseases,
genital warts, human papilloma virus and HIV.
In my years of medical practice, I have found that many women have
totally no knowledge of what a cervical smear is and how it is
done.
A cervical smear is a screening test used on women to tell if there are any changes in the health of the cervix. This is helpful to diagnose the early stages of cancer.
The cervix is located at the end of the uterus, and connects to the top of the vagina. There is a central canal that connects the vagina to the inside of the uterus, and it measures approximately 3cm square.
The main reason to have a cervical smear is to monitor the health of the
cervix, and to lower the number of women who contract cervical
cancer. The smear is targeted to detect early strains of
potentially cancerous cells.
The high risk groups of women need cervical smear more than the general
population. These groups are: women who are sexually active, or who are 18 or older (whatever comes first) A regular smear would be
recommended every three years for most women, depending on their health and the results of the last smear. Also, women who are not healthy should have annual smears, such as those with HIV. Women who have had a hysterectomy who have had abnormal
cervical smears in the past should get themselves checked every year by a health practitioner; there is still a risk of abnormal cell growth at the top of the vaginal canal.
A cervical smear is preferably taken when women are in good health, and are not
having menstruation.
The procedure is performed with women on their backs, and their legs held up in the air by a health practitioner or stirrups. A speculum is placed inside the vagina, so that the health practitioner can view women's cervix closely. Then a brush-like instrument is placed over the cervix, and cells are wiped onto the brush, and then placed onto a glass slide for diagnosis.
Women's cervical smears can be done by a health practitioner, such as a doctor or nurse. The procedure usually only takes a couple of minutes.
It is not painful, but may be uncomfortable.
If you have questions related to this article you
may e-mail me at doctor@soontongkiong.com quoting the contents of
the article.
About the author
DR SOON is a medical practitioner. He holds four degrees. MBBS
(University of Malaya), MBA (University of East Asia), LLB (Hons)
(University of Wolverhampton), Master of Medicine (Edith Cowan
University
:
Dr SOON is the owner of AskMyVisitor.com and MyScriptDoctor.com
where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information
on
many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
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